Page 32 of Dancing Fools and All That Jazz
‘Oh, did I tell you? I nearly forgot my passport this morning,’ Bonnie announces.
‘You have got it haven’t you?’ Asha asks.
‘Yes, but I got so distracted looking for it, I actually opened the fridge door to get my jacket.’
‘You never did?’ Cath laughs out loud.
‘You are a bit on the young side to be having senior moments, Bonnie,’ Monica laughs.
Cath then adds, ‘I’m not so sure about that. Bonnie, do you remember the time you got to dance and found that instead of your jazz shoes, you had put your slippers in your bag by mistake.’
Cath’s Irish accent sounds musical to my ears.
‘Oh heavens. I’d forgotten that. Goodness, don’t tell my kids. They’ll start planning when to put me in a home.Oh ladies, did I tell you I have become an auntie again?’
‘Oh, Bonnie. That’s wonderful news. Is that Ryan and his wife?’
‘Yes, they’ve had a little girl. She was born yesterday.’
We all congratulation Bonnie and Asha asks, ‘What have they called her?’
‘Freesia.’
‘Oh, how lovely. After the flower?’
‘No, the cow.’
Asha, Monica, and Cath all stare at Bonnie, who shrugs and says, ‘They spent a lot of time in Holland. Well, I think it was Holland…’
Then everyone breaks out laughing. I join in, but I am not quite sure what the joke is.
‘Bonnie, you crease me up,’ Asha says just as the bus arrives and we set off to our terminal.
I will remember this expression, crease me up. The creases of laughter like the creases in one of Neil’s un-ironed shirts. It is good term. It make me giggle inside.
‘I wish we didn’t have to be at the airport so early.’ Monica frowns.
‘It’ll be all the security checks,’ Cath replies. ‘But it means I’ll get time to buy some perfume and I love looking in the wee shops in the forecourt.’
‘Will you be buying anything, Ingrida?’ Bonnie asks.
‘I am going to look for gifts for Grace, Theo, and Lizzy.’
‘Oh yes, your new stepchildren. How lovely. And don’t forget your new husband. But perhaps you should wait until we’re in Paris and get them something French?’
I think to myself what Neil tell me, that Paris is expensive place to buy souvenirs and I have only small amount to spend. I did have a credit card but Neil, he does not like them and he tell me many people get into bad debt with these cards so he tell me it would be good idea to cut mine up.
Now we are married, I want us to do everything together and we are to have new joint bank account. Neil says my nurse salary can be paid in there and he will give me money every week. He say this is a tradition in the United Kingdom for a husband to give his wife – what did he call it? –ja, I remember, the money for keeping the house. My nursing friends they say to me this is not tradition any more, but I do not mind if Neil is old-fashioned. I like being a traditional United Kingdom housewife and I think it is good to share everything.
I am surprised at how much is the cost of the shopping for a family with three children. This cash, it does not go very far but I am very good at making budget. I use less expensive cuts of the meat, bake my own bread and always use leftovers. When my poor mama had to manage on her own, she show me how to make a little go a long way, God rest her soul.
*
We arrive inside the busy terminal and Clarissa and Hazel wave us across to the area near the check-in desks. Hazel is sitting in her wheelchair. I think she look pale, but I can see she is content to be here.
‘Good to see you, ladies.’ Clarissa smiles at us. ‘I managed to book assistance for Hazel to get onto the flight and they will come across as soon as we are all here.’
‘Who are we waiting for?’ Monica asks.
